Won't Take Whole Milk

Updated on May 22, 2007
J.A. asks from Danville, VA
33 answers

My 11-month old daughter doesn't seem to like whole milk. I'm trying to switch her over and she doesn't seem to like it. We've trying warming the milk and tried it cold, she didn't seem to want it either way.

Any suggestions?

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So What Happened?

So far so good, last night I tried adding whole milk with her formula. It worked out pretty well. I don't think she even noticed the difference. I have been adding whole milk to her cereal in the mornings and she enjoys that as well. I think it may have been the sudden change from formula to whole milk. I'm going to keeping adding the milk to her formula. Thanks for the great advice everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

P.S. If she gets to where she still doesn't like whole milk, my next plan is to try soy!

Thanks again for all the wonderful advice!

Featured Answers

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E.A.

answers from Raleigh on

Try mixing the milk with one of those Stoneyfield Smoothies. They are organic and made with whole milk. Then slowly lower the amount of smoothy you put in with the milk. My son did the same thing and just needed to get used to the taste of milk. Another thing you can try is adding a little molasses (for extra iron) or Carnation Instant Breakfast. Just enough to sweeten the milk. Babies are used to their milk/formula being a little sweet. It will just take some time for her to acquire a taste for it.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.B.

answers from Charlotte on

Hey J.,
The way I was told to transition her over was to do it an ounce at a time. Like 7 oz formula an oz of milk and gradually increase it. It worked great with both my girls.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.T.

answers from Greensboro on

No worries you just want her to be drinking it my 12 mo. Just keep offering it to her. I wouldn't rec. warming it unless you want to keep that up. offer her less of anything else to drink throughout the day if you really want her to get used to it. Recently my Dr gave us a pamphlet that says on average children will be refuse something 27 times before they accept it so just keep trying! :)my daughter was the same way at first. We tend to worry too soon.

1 mom found this helpful

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A.M.

answers from Columbia on

have you tried giving it to her with cereal or other foods. Was she formula fed or breastfed? Have you told your pediatrician maybe they will have some ideas. hope you find something that works for you/.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.V.

answers from Spartanburg on

ok my son was the same way. the only way he would drink it if it was warm or you put chocolate in it. then if he drinks it add less and less chocolate each time. if not maybe try half formula half milk. just a few suggestions. keep us posted

1 mom found this helpful
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B.R.

answers from Fayetteville on

Maybe try soymilk. Make sure it is vitamin A & D fortified. She may or may not take plain, vanilla or chocolate may work though. My daughter has been on soymilk since she was 10 mo, she hated cows milk.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.C.

answers from Myrtle Beach on

I HAD TO TRY SOY MILK, MIXED 1/2 AND 1/2 WITH WHOLE MILK...IT TASTES A BIT SWEETER AND HAS ALL SORTS OF ISOFLAVINOIDS...IF IT HELPS ANY I AM A DIETITAN AND HAD A HARD TIME MAKING A DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO GIVE HIM SOY. HE LOVES IT AND NOW DRINKS ONLY WHOLE AT DAY CARE AND SOY AT HOME....ALSO, THE WHOLE MILK WAS MAKING HOM CONSTIPATED BECAUSE HE WAS DRINKONG SOOOO MUCH OF IT...NO A BIG JUICE DRINKER. MILK OR WATER FOR HIM

GOOD LUCK

1 mom found this helpful
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L.M.

answers from Charleston on

Few recommendations I have heard on this.
1. Many formulas are sweetened to taste more like breastmilk. If she was either breastfed or on one of these formulas, this might be the issue. I have read recommendations to either do 1/2 soy 1/2 whole milk for a while and gradually increase the whole milk (soy milk is sweet) or do mostly formula (or bm if she was breastfed) and milk and gradually increase the milk.
2. Make sure she is getting other sources of calcium. Little ones this age really only need 2 cups of milk a day. Also, many choose not to serve the milk at mealtimes because it reduces the amount of iron that you little one can absorb from food. So, many do milk with an afternoon snack. You could give her yogurt or smoothies instead of milk and this will be fine for calcium intake. You could also do some cheerios with milk for breakfast.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Charleston on

My son wouldn't have anything to do with milk. I started out by giving him 2 oz of milk with 4 oz of formula in his bottle. Every week I would add more milk to the formula to the point where he was barely getting any formula at all. Also, I kept offering him milk in a sippy cup at meal time which he mostly refused, but eventually he caught on. Just keep offering it to your daughter. Good Luck!

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A.D.

answers from Charlotte on

Are you housing one of my children?? LOL! Three of my five were breastfed but all had a horrible time switching except our oldest. After talking to our pediatrician, she suggested a little chocolate syrup or ovaltine. As time wore on we decreased the syrup and now they will drink milk without it. My husbands nieces are like this also. Their Mom eventually gave up, they never would drink it. Instead she gives them plenty of yogurt, cheese, ice cream. Anything with dairy to help with the calcium the girls are missing. The oldest is now a teenager and takes a calcium supplement. I wish you the best and just try different things!

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S.M.

answers from Charlotte on

Have you tried soy milk? She may be a bit sensitive to whole milk or just doesn't like the "heavy" texture of whole milk. Personally, I could not stomach whole milk until I was nearly 40.
Just a thought. Lots of luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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D.B.

answers from Greensboro on

Try putting a little choclate syrup in it. Not alot but enough to change the color. Most kids love choclate milk. Hope this works.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.S.

answers from Raleigh on

Most pediatricians won't tell you to even TRY starting your baby on whole milk until the 1 year check-up. And even then, change over slowly. Mix 1/4 whole milk to 3/4 formula in the 8oz bottle for one week. Then go to 1/2 & 1/2 a week. Then 3/4 & 1/4 a week. Then go to all whole milk. My daughter had problems keeping down the whole milk once we got to that. And I even tried soy in case she was lactose intolerant like her Dad. We ended up staying with formula and partial whole milk until she was 18 months and her little stomach could handle it.

1 mom found this helpful
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T.C.

answers from Spartanburg on

Hi J.. My daughter HATED milk with an exaggarated passion!!! To this day she will rarely drink plain whole milk. We tried watering it down and mixing it with a little powdered formula. We tried the warming, the room temperature, the bribing!!!! Nothing worked-until-strawberry syrup.I know that the Dr's say you have to watch sweets with children-I understand and agree with that-but that is what finally got my daughter to drink milk-I began with a little strawberry syrup and, since she liked the color so much-she tried it and it has worked ever since.
She also LOVES the Dannon Smoothie/yougurt drinks. It is a good snack for her that helps her nutritionaly as well.Hope this helps. Have a great day!!!!!!!

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V.B.

answers from Columbia on

I give my boys whole milk now, but before they were 12 mos old I gave them Silk Soy Vanilla that is fortified for kids. They loved it - I did too. I think it is the one in the purple or blue carton for $2.86. I gave them that for calcium before they could have milk. Hope this helps!

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S.L.

answers from Wilmington on

My daughter wouldn't take it also. So I tried putting some chocolate syrup in it. I don't use a lot just enough to add some flavor. If you are worried about the calories and fat in the syrup you can get low fat syrup.

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J.G.

answers from Charlotte on

Try adding ovaltine to the milk. Its healthy and tastes good too!!

1 mom found this helpful
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T.M.

answers from Richmond on

Hi:
If your daughter takes an eight ounce bottle, you may want to try this: Put seven ounces of the old milk in and add one ounce of the new milk in. Do that for a couple days. Then put in six ounces of the old milk in and then add two ounces of the new milk in and do that for a couple of days. Then gradually increase the new milk until she is drinking the new milk all by itself. If she still doesn't like the new milk, there is always soy milk.
Good luck!!
Hope this will help you out!!:0)
T.

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L.W.

answers from Richmond on

Hi J.,
I know just where you are coming from. None of my kids ( I have 5) liked whole milk at all! I know that the doctors recommend whole milk for the fat content, but I was successful in modifying just a bit. 3 of my kids did just fine with 2% and the other 2 perferred 1%. Milk is my favorite drink bar none, but I drink skim. Once they got through that first year of fattier milk, they switched to skim and all's well. I want to mention that I have 5 very healthy kids. So, maybe try it and see what happens. Good Luck!

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J.

answers from Charlotte on

hi,
my son is 15 months and he wouldn't take whole mile either. We started putting Nestle Quik Vanilla and Strawberry now he drinks it all and wants more.
Good Luck

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L.C.

answers from Norfolk on

I had the same problem with my daughter. I talked to her Dr. She said that usually when kids refuse milk, that they aren't quite ready for it. So I offered my daughter yogurt smoothies, so she still get's the calcium. She loves it, and her Dr. said it was just fine, and maybe better because yogurt is really good for her.

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T.F.

answers from Charleston on

I did the tiny tiny bit of strawberry mixed in, I have also had to do a water and a milk mix to start with. Now my kids love plain whole milk and would rather have it instead of anything else. Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.T.

answers from Charlottesville on

She may not like the thickness of whole milk. TRY 2%.My son drank it; he's 5 and perfectly healthy.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.F.

answers from Fayetteville on

You didn't say if your daughter was taking formula or breast feeding... at 11 months, you should be gradually doing the switch over. Regardless if it is formula or BF - try doing mostly what she is used to with a little milk, then a few days later do half and half, and then mostly milk with a little formula or breast milk and finally after about 2 weeks, she'll be all on milk. Gradually changing is the key...

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R.D.

answers from Richmond on

My son was allergic to reg. milk untill he was around a year, but we tried organic 2% milk and he tolerated it great! Good Luck

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D.C.

answers from Raleigh on

J.,

I switched my daughter to whole milk at 12 months. I would mix 1/2 formula with 1/2 whole milk and give it to her at the same time she normally took her bottle. (I mixed the formula with water as directed. I gradually phased out the formula until the whole bottle was whole milk.

D.

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T.H.

answers from Jacksonville on

I know this might sound bad but we put a little of the strawberry or choc. in our daugthers. Just a little bit. It might work. Our daughter drinks it regular now.

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T.W.

answers from Greensboro on

My son refuses to drink milk. He just truned two and doesn't drink milk at all. We tried mixing it with choc, strawberry, you name it. He doesn't like yogart either. I talked to his dr and she told us that as long as he will drink OJ he would be fine. My mom said that I wouldn't drink milk either, and I still don't! YUCK! There are so many things out on the market today to get them all the calcium they need. Now, I will say that he likes milk in cereal. So, down the road maybe that will be a source of getting the milk. Good luck and I wouldn't worry too much!

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C.S.

answers from Norfolk on

J.,
I had to give my child soy milk she didn't like whole milk either. But she did like the soy.

C.

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B.S.

answers from Raleigh on

Hey there J.! My son had the same problem when he was small. Have you tried mixing part milk and part formula? To start with do like 70 % formula and 30% milk. Do that for few days and slowly increase it. I hope it works for ya it work for him.Good luck!!

B. Jo

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S.O.

answers from Charlotte on

My son would never drink whole milk either! He was breastfed for 2 years, so I really didn't have to worry about it too much while he was, but I still wanted him to drink some! Never! But he did drink Soy Milk! That and rice milk. But that Silk he likes. Now he drinks chocolate milk, but regular I still have a hard time with.
I did try the goat's milk, because I heard it was more similar to breastmilk. My son gagged when I gave it to him. I smelled it and realized why! But it wasn't fresh or anything, so maybe that would make a difference. I just know my neice also tried goat cheese, and threw up later after eating it! So, if you try, try it carefully! Little at a time!
He's 4 1/2 now, and he loves yogurt and cheese, so at least he is getting his calcium. Keep trying! Don't give up like I did, cuz then it's next to impossible!
PS. It probably doesn't help that A.) He had reflux and it bothered him to drink milk. He's better, but if he drinks milk with dinner, he can't sleep! and B.) I DO NOT drink milk myself, so that can't help at all!

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R.S.

answers from Greensboro on

Try mixing the whole milk with her formaula for a couple of days. Keep adding more whole milk than formula.

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S.B.

answers from Greensboro on

Dear J.,

One more thing you might want to try would be Goats milk. There are some goat farms in the area and they sell the goats milk. She could be lactose intolerant even at this early age. I would try to do that before turning to soy.

S. B
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